Formatting Standards

Document Formatting Standards: Effective January 1, 2002
Size & ink
  • 8 ½-by-11-inch paper
  • White, light-colored, 20# paper without watermarks or logo
  • Printed in black or dark ink on one side only
  • No continuous forms or permanent binding, but documents may be stapled for presentation
  • Minimum 8-point type. (Note: nonessential information within any margins is exempt from this requirement.)
  • Signatures must be in black or dark ink to insure reproduction from record
  • All signatures must have the name typed, stamped or printed underneath.
Attachments
  • Attachments to a page may not be stapled or taped other than a securely attached bar- coded label or than as required by law. (Note: ‘Attachment’ does not refer to an Exhibit, but additions to a document page.)
Margins
  • Top 3” vertical space of the first page only of each document is designated for the Recorder’s certification. All Recorder’s certificates will be placed in this area.
  • All other margins on the first and subsequent pages will be a minimum of ¾”
Nonessential information contained within the margins does not have to comply with the 8- point requirement, but is should be noted that the Recorder is not liable or responsible for insuring that nonessential information is archived. Examples: page number, form numbers, return addresses, etc.

First Page
  • Every document (except plats and surveys) containing any of the following items shall have such information on the first page of the document below the 3” margin:
    1. Title of the document
    2. Date of the document
    3. All grantor’s names
    4. All grantees’ names
    5. Any statutory addresses
    6. Legal Description (unabbreviated)
    7. Reference book and pages if required
If there is not sufficient room on the 1st page, the page reference within the document where the information is set out shall be stated on the 1st page. If one of the required fields begins on the first page and continues uninterrupted to subsequent pages that meets the first page requirements.

Designations
  • Grantors and grantees must be designated in order to be indexed. There is no limit as to combinations or exclusions but must include the words ‘Grantor’ or ‘Grantee’
    Note: It is the filer’s or preparers responsibility to make the designations
  • Statutory addresses must be designated, ie,’Grantee’s Mailing Address.’ The address of the property shall not be accepted as a legal description.
  • Book and page references required on certain documents, item release deeds, assignments, etc must be designated. We do not accept blanket assignments. (there is a $5 fee for each book/page referenced beyond one.)
Cover Pages
  • A cover page for the document is not required, but a filer may choose to present a cover page and it will be recorded as the first page of the document.
  • The cover page must have the top 3” top margin and include first page designations.
If a document is presented for re-recording, in addition to all other requirements, there must be a new first page or cover sheet with the top 3” and the required first page designations.

Rerecording a document
  • Rerecords require a new coversheet, new grantor signatures, and also another notarization of those new signatures.
  • It is a good idea to put on the new cover sheet both the reason for rerecording and the book/page reference of the original recording.
Exempt Documents From the “Formatting” Requirements
  1. Documents signed prior to January 1, 2002
  2. Military separation papers
  3. Document executed outside the United States
  4. Certified copies of documents, including birth and death certificates.
  5. Any document where one of the original parties is deceased or incapacitated.
  6. Judgments or other documents formatted to meet court requirements
  7. Fixture filings on the National Approved UCC Form
Fees
  • Standard: Documents which meet both the statutory requirements and formatting Standards will have only the per page recording fee schedule applied.
  • Non-Standard: Documents which meet the statutory, but do not meet the formatting standards will have the per page recording fee plus an additional $25 per document penalty applied.
  • Exempt: Documents which meet the statutory requirements, but are exempt from the formatting requirements will have only the per page recording fee schedule applied
Rejections
 All documents that are rejected will be returned with a reason for rejection.